Taiwan was the best performer at the International Junior Science Olympiad Dec. 2-11 in Gaborone, Botswana, with all six members of the national team winning gold.
According to the Ministry of Education, this is the fourth consecutive year Taiwan has topped the medal count in the contest that rates students’ abilities in natural sciences. A total of 265 competitors from 44 countries and territories took part in this year’s edition.
Chen Chien-yi from National Experimental High School at Hsinchu Science Park in northern Taiwan received the top prize in the theoretical category. He also claimed second place in the overall individual rankings, which combine the student’s performances in written tests with the team’s result in a practical exam.
Tseng Wei-fu from Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School bagged third place in total score.
Chen and Tseng thanked their instructors from Taipei City-based National Taiwan Normal University and local high schools who helped the team prepare for the Olympiad. They also expressed gratitude to former IJSO winners who shared their experiences and offered advice.
Taiwan has been a leading performer at the event over the past 15 years, topping the rankings 10 times for a total haul of 77 golds and 13 silvers.
One of the International Science Olympiads, IJSO is the only global academic competition testing students 15 years old and younger on knowledge and skills in biology, chemistry and physics. (CPY-E)
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